NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Centre of back, tail coverts, tail primaries, and primary 

 coverts black. The back is vermiculated with rufous. Outer 

 secondaries on the outer web metallic-green. On the inner 

 web ashy-black ; whitish towards the bases. Wing coverts, 

 edge of wing, axillaries, and under wing coverts pure white. 

 Lower parts rufous-chestnut throughout, being paler, however, 

 on the breast and under tail coverts. Iris pale yellow. Bill 

 and legs black. 



Lengthy 26.0 ; wing, 15.0 ; tail, 5.0. 



The female is considerably smaller than the male. The 

 plumage is similar, except that the female has the front of its 

 face white. 



Distribution. — This shelduck has a very restricted range. 

 It is found chiefly in Cape Colony, Orange Free State, and 

 Transvaal, and seems to be absent from all other localities. 



Habits. — The South African shelduck is usually found in 

 pairs, and sometimes in small flocks of a dozen or so. It spends 

 most of the day feeding and resting on the dams and vleis of 

 the Upper Karoo. It is very easily domesticated, and will 

 breed freely with other species. The nest of this bird is usually 

 found in some hole or cavity, a favourite place being the dis- 

 used burrows of ant-bears and porcupines. The eggs vary from 

 8 to 10 in number. They are creamy-white in colour, and 

 measure approximately 2.3 by 1.85. 



Egyptian Goose, or Berg Gans {Alopochen cEgyptiacus). 

 (Vol. II., p. 238.) 



Description. — Male : crown, lower cheeks, and throat 

 dirty white, becoming darker on the nape. Strip round base 

 of bill, patch round the eye, ring round middle of neck, and 

 patch in middle of breast, chestnut. Lower neck, sides of 

 body, flanks, and thighs grey, mottled with transverse stripes 

 of black. Centre of abdomen white, verging to pale chestnut 

 on under tail coverts. Upper tail coverts, tail, centre of back, 

 primaries, and outer secondaries black, the last with metallic- 

 green and purple gloss. Inner secondaries dark rufous. Wing 



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